"What?" both men shouted.
Kira blinked at them and yawned. "Pretty sure it was them. They've tried to capture or kill us a lot since we took over the Wanderer. But we always get away because we're sneaky ninjas."
"Hell yeah, we are," Jin said.
"Don't egg her on," Raider told Jin. His gaze was intent as he focused on Kira. "What are you saying?"
"About what?" she asked.
"The Tsavitee. You didn’t tell anyone you thought you saw one last night,” he said.
“Didn’t see it. Felt it. Just like I did in Idra and Rothchild,” she told him. “You wouldn’t have believed me. You guys never do.”
“Do you have any proof?” Raider asked with skepticism.
Kira snorted. Of course, he wanted proof. He never could trust her word.
He scowled at her and she realized she’d said that out loud.
“Ask Jace. They caught images of a Tsavitee Raven class buzzing Zepher.”
A growl escaped Graydon, and he seemed to expand, waves of energy pouring from him. Kira leaned closer cooing at them. How interesting.
She lifted her arm to see if she had the same and frowned. No pretty waves for her.
“Oh brother,” Jin muttered. “You probably shouldn’t have said that.”
Raider looked frozen in place as Graydon’s expression darkened.
“This is why they’ve been pushing to expand the treaty,” Graydon muttered. “The humans should have told us.”
“We’re tired of dancing to your and the Haldeel’s tune. You’ve placed so many restrictions on us that our science and technology are unable to advance,” Jace said from the doorway.
“Hi, Jace,” Kira waved.
He sent her a quelling look. “I’ll deal with you later.”
“Did I do something wrong?” Kira asked Jin.
“I don’t think you were supposed to tell them that.”
“Oops.” Kira thought a moment. “Do you think they’ll blame me?”
“When don’t they blame you?”
Good point. Kira decided not to worry about it, concentrating on the pleasant floating sensation instead as the two began arguing.
"There is a good reason we have closed certain avenues to you," Graydon said. "You want to play with things you don't understand. If it was only your own species’ extinction, we would let you be, but your hubris would pose a danger to all of us."
Kira yawned, too drowsy to pay attention. She drifted on a cloud of bliss as the argument flowed around her.
She started when Amila appeared at the end of her bed.
"Commander, they're here."
Kira didn't hear his response, losing her battle with sleep.
*
Her rest was fitful as she dozed on and off before returning to awareness in spurts.
She opened her eyes to find Raider standing guard. "Where's Finn?"
"The big guy was dead on his feet. Told him to get some sleep," Raider said.
"Surprised he agreed to that," Kira said, adjusting her position in the bed as she tried to find a comfortable spot.
"I may have pointed out he'd be no good to you if he fell over from exhaustion," Raider admitted.
"You always were surprisingly good at persuasion, considering you’re the equivalent to a battering ram in most situations," Kira said, watching him through slitted eyelids.
"Someone had to be. You were always like an elephant in high heels in any diplomatic situation," he said.
Kira made a rusty sound that resembled a halfhearted chuckle. He was right. She had been exactly like that.
"They said it'd be a few more hours before that stuff wears off," Raider said.
"Hmm." Kira made a lazy sound.
"Why did you leave?" he asked.
"Didn't mean to," Kira muttered burrowing deeper into her covers. "By the time I realized, it was too late. Had to protect you and Jace. Himoto said this was the best way."
"Protect us? From what?"
"The next phase," Kira mumbled.
Sleep closed its jaws around her, stopping any further conversation.
The next time she woke, her head felt clear and the cobwebs were gone. The sound of whispers next to her bed made it impossible to sleep.
"What are you guys plotting?" Kira asked, without opening her eyes.
"Go to sleep," Raider told her.
"I'd love to, but a couple of someones decided to use my bedside as a location to have an intense conversation." By the end, Kira had shifted so she was half-reclining.
Her body ached, but nowhere near as bad as it had the first time she'd woken. At least she thought she'd been awake. Everything since the lu-ong was kind of hazy and disjointed, like a series of waking dreams.
She felt slightly weak and off balance, the very small use of the ki draining her. That was better than she’d expected. The last time she’d tried using it had left her in a much worse state.
Raider reached out and pulled the pillows into place behind her to support her weight.
Once she'd finished adjusting the sheets, she fixed the two men with a hard stare. "Now, spill."
Jace looked like he was on the verge of arguing. Raider was the one to meet her eyes calmly.
"The Tuann want to confine us to our quarters," he said.
Kira's mouth dropped open. "What did you guys do?"
"That's ironic coming from you," Jace said bitterly.
Kira looked between the two men, noting the anger in Jace's face and the neutrality in Raider's. "What're you talking about?"
"Evidently the sedative they dosed you with has some side effects," Raider said. "It makes you quite talkative."
Surprise and dismay ran across Kira's face as she got a sinking feeling. She vaguely remembered some of the conversation with Graydon.
"Oh no." Kira's head sank into her palms. This was not good. She definitely remembered revealing things that were supposed to stay secret. "How bad was it?"
Raider arched an eyebrow, amusement tugging at his lips. "We now know you find the Luatha's use of the color white concerning and see it as an indication of a lack of soul."
Kira groaned, not bothering to lift her head.
"You also seem worried over Jace's childlessness and that I'm going to die a lonely, grouchy old man," Raider continued mercilessly.
If Kira could have sunk through the bed, she would have.
"At least we finally know what you'd be like if you were able to get drunk," Jace said with a sigh.
"Yes, very, very chatty—and emotional," Raider responded, not bothering to hide his gloating at Kira's predicament.
"The Tuann also now know about the Tsavitee Ravens we picked up on our scanners. They're unhappy we kept their existence from them," Jace said, each word bit off.
Kira looked away. Of all the secrets she'd spilled, she’d given away one that wasn't really hers to tell.
Maybe she disagreed with the Consortium keeping the Tsavitee's return from their allies, but it hadn't been her decision to make.
"Confining you to the brig is a bit of a severe reaction, don't you think? What else am I missing?" Kira asked.